Perfect
by zoebrenn
Summary: Nell comes across a magazine article that gets her thinking about her crush. Will she get the answers she's looking for?
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to my new story, I hope you'll enjoy the little ride I'll be taking you on. Incidentally, this is based on real articles though I did make a few tweaks to ensure it fit my plot :) **

It wasn't often that Nell Jones had time to take a break during the work day. Usually cases kept her and Eric busy in ops or at a computer station at the back of the bullpen all through the day and often into the night. But it was two in the afternoon and all was quiet. Hetty was at a meeting, Eric was messing around with one of the computers in ops trying to improve search speeds, and when she had enquired about the empty bullpen fifteen minutes earlier upon her return from the Archives room, Eric had told her the agents had all gone out to get lunch.

Making the most of the peace and quiet, Nell settled herself on couch at the back of the bullpen and sipped a cup of freshly made herbal tea. Glancing to the coffee table, she spotted a magazine she could only presume was Kensi's and with nothing else to read, she picked it up and began to flip through the pages.

Nell didn't normally read women's magazines, usually finding the articles pointless and the fashion ridiculous and impractical. Still, she found herself skimming over the articles on where to find the best manicurist in LA, the top five hippest restaurants in the city and why everyone should eat there at least once, and secrets to boosting your career. She found her eyes rolling at the inane advice given on how to tell if your boyfriend is cheating on you and was about to close the magazine when she flipped the page and an article caught her eye.

_The Top 20 Traits of the Perfect Man_

Nell immediately scoffed. How could someone possibly determine what traits all women looked for in the perfect man? And for that matter, what man could possibly be perfect? Even the best of them had flaws. As she scanned the introductory paragraph she learned that the identified traits were the result of a study of 2000 women. It was hardly a representative sample of the female population of the United States but as an analyst her curiosity was piqued and she continued reading.

_This list is broken down into four categories, the physical, his personality, his character and the practical. If the guy you are in a relationship with or even just crushing on possesses these traits, you just may have found yourself the perfect man._

Chuckling at how absurd the article was, Nell tucked her legs under her, got comfortable and let her eyes drift down the page to the description of the first category of traits. If nothing, it might prove to be an entertaining read.

_Our research shows the top physical traits of the perfect man identified by the women of the study are; that he is taller than they are, has dark hair, blue eyes and a layer of short facial hair. He will also be athletic and toned with well-defined muscles. _

Nell stopped reading immediately, the parallels between the traits listed and a certain special agent she had had a crush on since the day she met him, were uncanny. Maybe the first trait wasn't difficult given that almost every man was taller than her, but the dark hair, blue eyes and short facial hair were G Callen's trademark. And while she had never been privy to seeing him without a shirt on (unless her fantasies counted), Callen's toned body and strong muscles were always evident through the jeans and shirts he wore.

Determined that it was purely coincidental that the first five traits of the perfect man just happened to match those of the man she was unable to get out of her head, Nell read a little further, curious about what else might be true.

_Personality is crucial in determining the perfect man. The women of our study identified the perfect man as intelligent, confident, generous and passionate, with a sense of humour. _

Once again Nell was surprised at how the traits matched him. Callen was most definitely intelligent – he spoke at least seven languages and that alone meant he was far from stupid. She was pretty sure he had never actually gone to college but he wouldn't have become the undercover legend he was without having the knowledge and ability to understand and make use of complex information, as well as interpret behaviour and body language. Callen was also one of the most confident people she had ever met. He had confidence in himself that never even came close to arrogance, and he had confidence in his friends and colleagues. He had shown himself to be generous when he bought Sam a 'new' old car when 'Charlene' was stolen. It hadn't been cheap and Callen had no reason to be the one to replace it, but he had, just to lift the spirits of his best friend. And he absolutely had a sense of humour, albeit on the dry side. But passionate? That one had Nell thinking hard. She knew he was passionate about his work but she was pretty sure that's not what the article was talking about.

Making a mental note to come back to that one, she carried on.

_The women of our study identified five character traits of their perfect man. He is dependable, chivalrous and has moral integrity. He is sensitive to your needs, and he is kind and considerate to all but will defend your honour or life without a second thought._

Nell knew Callen was dependable – she saw him prove it each and every day. He does what he says he will do and apart from that one time he went lone wolf, he is always there for his friends and colleagues. Even to an independent 21st century woman like Nell, chivalry never went amiss and Nell experienced that on a regular basis with him. He held doors open for her, when the team went out for drinks he would make sure she had a seat even if that meant he had to stand, and each time she went out into the field with he and Sam and she had to sit in the back seat of the challenger, he would offer his hand to help her climb out. And there was no question that Callen had moral integrity. Despite the fact that he essentially lied for a living, where it mattered the truth always came first.

But as she re-read the last two character traits, Nell was perplexed. She didn't really know how sensitive he was. Sure, he always knew when something was bothering one of them but she had never been in a position to see first-hand how he dealt with it – if he was a guy who knew when to just offer comfort.

And the last trait of being kind and considerate to all; it was kind of hard to be kind and considerate to terrorists and murders so Nell decided that they didn't count; he was kind and considerate to everyone else. But the article talked about the perfect guy defending her honour or life, and that was something she had also never experienced. She had no idea what Callen would do if her honour or her life needed defending, and whether he would do it with or without a second thought.

She added those two traits to her mental list and moved on to the last category – the practical traits.

_The perfect man listens, is self-sufficient and accomplished in his career. He can do everything from driving a car to playing sports and changing a tire. And finally, the perfect man knows how to romance a woman._

Nell smiled tp herself. Callen listened, that she was sure of. Even when she rambled and went off on a tangent he listened because sooner or later she would get to the point. He was also one of the most self-sufficient people she had ever met. She figured that came from spending his entire childhood in foster care and never having a steady family to look out for him. He had only ever had himself to rely on so he learned to do everything himself. And Callen was more than accomplished in his career. She didn't know much about his past but she did know he had been in the military and had worked for the DEA, FBI and CIA before coming to NCIS. The man collected acronyms like some people collected stamps. Callen knew how to drive, although sometimes a little too fast. He played and watched sports, and while she had never actually seen him change a tire, she was pretty sure if he could hotwire a car and pick almost any lock, he could turn a few bolts and switch out a punctured tire.

But that final trait; knowing how to romance a woman. Nell was pretty sure she would never find out if he possessed that one.

As she laid the magazine back down on the coffee table, Nell did a few quick calculations. Special Agent G Callen met sixteen out of the twenty traits. According to the article and the knowledge Nell had based the answers on, he was 80% of the perfect man. It was both hard to believe and entirely believable at the same time.

Approaching footsteps and the familiar sound of banter between the agents broke Nell from her thoughts. She looked up to see them returning to the bullpen with bags from a nearby sub shop.

"Hey Nell." Kensi greeted her as she slid into her chair and delved into her bag.

"You're back fast." Nell commented as she sipped her almost cold tea.

"Callen was driving." Sam laughed.

"Here, you weren't around when we left but I thought you might be hungry." Callen walked over and handed Nell a bag.

"Oh, thanks." She smiled at his display of being kind and considerate. "You didn't have to."

"No big deal." Callen shrugged and dropped down onto the couch next to her. "You taking a break?" he asked as he fished his sandwich out the bag.

"While I can." She replied before she bit into her lunch.

"You haven't been reading Kensi's magazine have you?" he asked, indicating to the magazine sitting out on the table. "You know those articles are utter nonsense right?"

"Right." She replied as a sly smile crossed her face. "Nonsense." she added. "Though Deeks, there is a great article in here about where you can get your nails done." She laughed.

For the next fifteen minutes Nell sat with the agents as they ate and chatted about nothing in particular and cracked jokes. But she wasn't really following the conversation. Her eyes kept drifting to the man sitting next to her and her mind was occupied with her unanswered questions from the article. If she learned if he had those last four traits, could it be possible that G Callen, the man she was falling for harder each day, was actually perfect?

**I'd love to get your feedback!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is chapter two of my new story - Will Nell get any closer to finding out if Callen really is 'The Perfect Man'? Read on and find out! Zoe :)**

The nightclub was buzzing and the music filled the atmosphere with a pulse. Strobe lighting and smoke added to the effect, creating a dark and mysterious place filled with possibilities.

Nell sat with Sam, Eric, Kensi, Deeks and Callen at some couches in the back. Countless empty glasses and bottles were strewn across the small table before them as the team made their way through the latest round of cocktails and beers. It wasn't often that the team went out together, and even less frequent that they ended up in a nightclub. But the last few weeks had been intense and everyone needed a release. Getting hammered and losing themselves in the anonymity of a club seemed like the perfect way to do that. Though Nell was pretty sure that both Callen and Deeks were pacing themselves so the others could enjoy themselves without having to worry.

"Come on Deeks, what do you say we go burn up the dance floor?" Kensi grinned as she rose to her feet and tugged down her short blue dress.

"I'm game." Deeks laughed as he put his drink down and followed Kensi through the throbbing crowd.

Nell picked up her drink and finished off the last of it before setting the empty glass down on the table in front of her.

"I'll be right back." She said as she got to her feet. Eric, Callen and Sam all turned to her. "Ladies room." She quickly explained her destination. As she squeezed past Callen she stumbled a little and he reached out and grabbed her arm to keep her steady.

"You okay?" he asked, his eyes showing a little concern.

"Maybe next round you get me a coke." She laughed, hoping the sudden flush in her cheeks from his touch would be explained by how tipsy she was getting.

xxx

Nell took a few minutes in the bathroom to splash some water on her face. She was having a great time out, despite the fact that clubs were not her usual scene. She knew it had everything to do with Callen. When he had suggested she and Eric join the rest of them on a night out she had jumped at the chance to spend more time with him. And all night he had been sitting next to her, giving her butterflies in her stomach when his arm would brush against hers as he reached for his drink, or when his breath would tease her skin when he leaned in close to say something so she could hear him over the noise of the music. She knew he had no idea how she felt and how the little things he did affected her, but since he would never be interested in her, she had resigned herself to living in a fantasy and just taking the moments for what they were.

Drying her face and hands with a towel, Nell fixed her hair, slicked on a layer of lipgloss and made her way out of the bathroom. But as she stepped into the hall, a large figure blocked her path.

"Excuse me." She said as she moved to step around the tall, heavily built man standing in her way.

"Where are you going sweetheart?" he asked as he stepped around her, forcing Nell to take a few steps away.

"Back to my friends." She replied as she glanced up at him, analysing how much of a threat he was. The man was tall, nearly six foot, with shaggy brown hair and a scruffy beard. He had clearly been drinking and seemed a little drunk.

"Why don't you spend a little time with me instead?" he said as he again stepped towards Nell. She took another few steps backwards, getting a little worried that he was backing her away from the entrance back to the main club and towards the end of the hallway. A quick glance behind her confirmed that no-one was around and her stomach flipped nervously.

"No thanks." She said as she took a forceful step forward to go around him. But as she moved she felt a hot sweaty hand grab her upper arm and before she could do anything he was pushing her backwards up the hall.

"I asked politely." He growled, "And you turn me down." He said as he pushed Nell around the corner into a darkened alcove out of sight of anyone heading into or out of the bathrooms.

Nell was panicking. The man before her was much larger than her and his vice like grip on her arm was hurting. She had taken self-defence courses but her mind was going blank and all she could think about was his hand on her arm and how close he was standing.

"Let me go." She said as she tried to wrestle herself free. But he simply grabbed her other arm and pushed her against the wall, pressing his body against hers.

"Only if you kiss me." He said, his voice sounding threatening. Nell turned her head as he leaned towards her, desperate to avoid any contact with him.

"Let me go." Nell shouted as she tried to wriggle free of his hold.

"Get your hands off her!"

Nell's head snapped around as she registered whose voice it was she just heard and she had never been so relieved.

"What did you say?" the man replied angrily, turning to look at the man who just called out.

"I said, get your hands off her." Callen repeated, maintaining his composure.

"Who's this? Your boyfriend?" the man sneered as he looked back at Nell and tightened his grip on her arms, causing her to cry out.

"I'm not going to tell you again." Callen said firmly as his hands curled into fists and he took up a defensive stance. He didn't really want to get into a fight because of the attention it could bring but he wouldn't hesitate to throw punches to defend Nell.

Laughing, the man shoved Nell aside and turned to face Callen. Caught off guard at the sudden release, Nell stumbled and fell to the floor. She saw Callen glance at her momentarily but he maintained his concentration of the man, knowing someone like him could be unpredictable.

"Why do you care so much, she's just another club slut." The man laughed.

Having seen the man toss Nell aside and now hearing him talk about her in such a derogatory manner, Callen was struggling not to just knock the man out.

"Why don't you move on." Callen said through gritted teeth.

"I don't get told what to do." The man growled before he stepped forward and threw a punch at Callen.

But Callen was ready for him and easily dodged the clumsy move. As the man went for a second shot, Callen retaliated and landed several punches to the man's face, sending him staggering back a few steps. As the man regained his balance, he went for Callen again. This time Callen aimed several punches to his ribs then finished off with a heavy punch to his jaw which sent the man tumbling to the ground.

Nell watched the scene unfold from her position on the floor. Her eyes were wide as she saw Callen not just fighting, but fighting for her. As the man who had grabbed her landed in a heap on the floor a few feet away from her Nell shifted her gaze to him, checking he wasn't going to get back up.

"Nell, you okay?" Callen's voice cut through the air and Nell flicked her eyes to his. He was moving towards her, stepping over the now unconscious man to get to her.

"I'm fine." She answered quickly.

"You sure?" he asked as he crouched down. "Looks like you fell pretty hard." He commented as he scanned her from head to toe, seeing red marks on her upper arms from where the man had grabbed her.

"I'm sure." Nell nodded. "What are you…I mean, how did…" Nell couldn't quite find the words, the shock of everything that had just happened catching up to her.

"You'd been gone a while, I was worried." Callen smiled. "Come on, let's get you up." He took her hands and helped her to her feet. As she found her balance, Callen could feel her trembling.

"What happened Nell?" Callen asked softly, his hand resting on her shoulder.

"He cornered me when I came out the bathroom." She shook her head. "Dragged me up the hall."

"Did he…"

"No." Nell cut him off. "I'm more offended by his club slut comment." She closed her eyes for a moment as thoughts of what could have happened flashed through her mind. "Though I might have a few bruises in the morning." She added as she rubbed at her arms. "Callen, your hand." Nell gasped, spotting blood on his knuckles as he pulled his hand back from her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it." He shook his hand, feeling a slight ache.

"You got hurt helping me." Nell said as took his hand and looked at the scratches, her fingers tracing over his skin.

"It's nothing." Callen said softly. "Are you sure you're okay? I can take you home if you want?" he asked.

"No." Nell replied, looking up to meet his gaze. "I don't want him to spoil the night."

"You sure?" Callen asked.

"I'm sure." She nodded. "Let's just go back and get a drink." Nell knew she couldn't let one drunk guy ruin what was a great night and she knew she would be safe with the others.

"Okay then." Callen turned and with a hand on her shoulder, led Nell back down the hall, leaving the man lying groaning on the floor.

Xxx

Nell and Callen returned to the spot the team occupied several minutes later. Nell noticed that Callen's hand hadn't left her shoulder and she wondered why. But her thoughts were interrupted when they joined the others.

"Hey, where have you been?" Sam asked. "And what happened to your hand G?" he looked between Callen and Nell then noticed the red marks on her arms. "Nell?"

"Uh, I ran into a little trouble with a guy outside the bathroom." Nell admitted.

"Are you okay Nell?" Kensi asked, knowing immediately what Nell was talking about having experienced it herself once or twice.

"I'm fine. Callen took care of it." Nell replied. "That's how he hurt his hand."

"Check you out Callen, defending a girl's honour." Kensi smiled.

"I'm going to go to the bar and get you some ice." Nell lightly touched his arm then turned to leave. As she crossed the crowded floor Kensi's words echoed in her head and she flashed back to the article she had read several weeks before;

_He is kind and considerate to all but will defend your honour or life without a second thought._

A broad smile crossed her face as she realised she could check off another 'perfect man' trait.

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